Packing a Hornet

[pa2themd 0]

Hi Guys,

I am jumping a 170 Hornet and was wondering if anyone had some packing tips for me. I am getting rather fast openinigs which I would like to slow down alittle and the canopy opens unevenly (not completely off heading - does that make sense???)

thanks

"Most of us can read the writing on the wall; we just assume it's
addressed to someone else!" Ivern Ball

[piisfish 135]

body position can lead to uneven/off heading openings...
open the slider (past the nose)
get a Safire2

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[pa2themd 0]

mmm could be, I should definately pay more attention to the details!!

Is the Safire 2 my wedding present???

"Most of us can read the writing on the wall; we just assume it's
addressed to someone else!" Ivern Ball

[skyyhi 0]

I have flown a Hornet 170 and packed it many times. The only thing I have ever had is an occasional line twist (my issues not the canopy's). I was taught to pack it by split rolling the nose, but I only do this very slightly when I am packing it. I do really pull the slider forward but nothing extra special at all.

But remember, I am a newbie in this sport and you could ask some packers on your dz for pointers. . .they are usually most helpful.

________________________________________
Take risks not to escape life… but to prevent life from escaping. ~ A bumper sticker at the DZ
FGF #6
Darcy

[steve1 5]

My hornet 170 used to open hard and fast. I started Psycho packing and rolling the nose for nice on heading openings....Steve1

[sdgregory 0]

I jump a hornet 230. I had issues with slammer openings and off heading openings when I first started jumping it.

I tried rolling the nose and it helped a little. I talked to my DZO and she said I probably had bad body position at deployment.

I started paying very careful attention to that and found that my opennings could not be much softer than they are now and I no longer roll the nose.
Definitely check body position. Plus if your slider is collapsible, make sure you open it FULLY. I found that if I am not careful there I get slammed too. (Should say someone pointed that out to me becasue I by no means figured that out myself.)

As far as heading, I have the same issues. it opens slightly toward the right almost every time. I wonder if I am turning a little left at deployment?

[fudd 0]

The manual says to do nothing with the nose, but I found mine to open more onheading if I fold the four and four cells once towards the center cell and leave the center cell open.
I pull the slider out more infront of the nose.
Apart from that I do a standar pro pack. No line twists for the last 180 jumps.
Route the lines from the risers towards the bottom of the container and not against the reserve tray so they can snag and spin the bag.
Do your hornet have the large slider?

There are only 10 types of people in the world. Those who understand binary, and those who don't.

[d604 0]

When I have packed a Hornet 190 I pack it just the same way I pack my Stiletto 135.

Do the standard PRO pack. When it comes to the nose, ensure that you have all 9 cells gather them into one hand a place them deep into the center (no rolls, no folds, just open and together and deep in the pack job). The slider should be ‘stared’, but pull out most of it towards the nose so that there is a lot of slider material out in front, fold it sideways against the rest of the pack job (this keeps it out of the way when rolling the tail, but you still have to be careful). Roll the tail ~10 times very tight, and shove that in towards the center.

Packed over a 100 hornets, never a complaint about too hard or fast an opening, usually it’s “that took way too long”, but really it’s a novice jumper not used to a more sporty canopy, plus the student rigs are packed to open fast.

HTH

Sean

CSPA ratings C1, C2, IA, IB, QE, RA, and EJR

[Dokeman 0]

i also have a 170 hornet and was always getting very quick openings. I have to split the nose in half similar to what someone has already said. I get 4 cells from each side, roll them 4-8 times towards the outside. (try less rolls first, then more rolls, the more rolls you do, the slower the openings. I can make mine snivel for more than 1000ft.) then i tuck each side into the center cell with the rib of the center cell dividing the the 2 rolled up halfs.

This has worked wonders for me. Sometimes i will get off heading openings but other than that it has been fine..

[kingbunky 3]

not sure about a hornet, but the sabre manual (i believe) specifically states that you should NEVER roll the nose 4+4 and stuff them into the center cell, major canopy damage may result.

"Hang on a sec, the young'uns are throwin' beer cans at a golf cart."
MB4252 TDS699
killing threads since 2001

[skipro101 0]

wtf.. I bought my hornet new and I didnt get a manual ??


anyways, I star the slider,roll the entire nose (no split) several times real tight and push into canopy and roll the tail really tight and alot.

I do this every time and my openings have all been soft. My last two openings today were off heading but I suspect that im not consistant with my body posistion on opening...

I want to try psycho packing it...need someone to show me how.

• Quote

[FrogNog 1]

Meh, I got a manual, looked it over, decided I didn't want to hang the canopy from one hand that long while I fiddled it with the other, and just pro-packed it. I'm a software tester, so naturally I have to change my pack jobs all the time to try and see what inputs have what effects. So far nothing worse than bruises.

Tip: don't wrap the tail like 10 times so it grabs the nose in there too, lay the cocoon down, wolmari-fold the sides on top, then roll it up like a right-side-up psychopack. Hoowhee, that was an interesting opening.

-=-=-=-=-
Pull.

[redrocka 0]

I put about 200 jumps on a 170 hornet and had the same issue. the best method I found was to leave the nose alone and just roll the hell out of the tail, nice and tight.

Sweet Gravity...

[pa2themd 0]

Thanks guys!! I normally don't fold the nose, rather I stow it deep in the pack job and I quater my slider (Average collapsable). The tail I try roll as tight as possible, but find that my pack jobs are still alittle clumsy!

I will definately pay more attention to my body position on deployment, and I will try out some of the tips given...

Thanks once again for sharing! Blue skies to all!!!

"Most of us can read the writing on the wall; we just assume it's
addressed to someone else!" Ivern Ball

[AggieDave 6]

I've always packed Hornets like I packed my old Heatwave. Take all 9 nose cells and push it deep into the middle of the packjob.

Edit: forgot to add, Roll the shit out of the tail, but be careful you don't get so carried away you pull the rest of your packjob around, especially the lines.

Openings were more of a gamble on heading, but you can fly that to a point, it gave much better openings that way, though.

Psycho packing gave me the absolute worst openings. They were on heading, but I would need a DC adjustment after one of those!!

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[d604 0]

Quote

Tip: don't wrap the tail like 10 times so it grabs the nose in there too, lay the cocoon down, wolmari-fold the sides on top, then roll it up like a right-side-up psychopack. Hoowhee, that was an interesting opening.

You can very easily wrap a tail ten plus times. First off, you pull the tail around so that the entire centre cell is around. You can achieve this safely by using your legs and knees to control the pack job so that you do not disturb the lines or folds. Second, the folds are best when they are very tight, ~1 inch, folded onto it’s self and are done away from the front of the canopy. Also, since the nose is placed deep into the pack job, the tail (when being folded) should be nowhere near the nose. Even when rolling the nose, placing the rolls deep into the pack (not into the center cell) is fine and will result in a softer opening.

I have never had the tail get rolled into the nose, I’ve seen it done and solved many a skydivers spiny opening by observing their pack job.

This is also one of those many aspects of the sport that is almost impossible to describe with out showing how it’s done. So if you’re not comfortable with it find a method that works for you that you know is safe.

All I know is 16,000 + pack jobs can’t be wrong (zero mals).

Sean

CSPA ratings C1, C2, IA, IB, QE, RA, and EJR

[pa2themd 0]

Yeah thanks!! As a newbie in the sport, sometimes understanding the terminology used (differs slightly from country to country) can be tricky, I am trying to visualise the explanations!

Thanks for your time guys, I better start packing huh!

"Most of us can read the writing on the wall; we just assume it's
addressed to someone else!" Ivern Ball

[adamsr 0]

All i can say is Psychopack.

I did about 30 or 40 pro-packs when i first got my hornet 190 and got really inconsistant openeings, some were slow, some were fast, some were off-heading. Tried experimenting with rolling the nose, but nothing would give me consistant openings.

Then i started psycho packing. Have about 100 jumps on psycho packs now (on the same canopy) and have had nothing but nice consistant openings, sometimes off heading, but i put that down to position or a sloppy pack job. If anything when i first started psyhco packing the openings were too slow, so now i do not roll the nose, but make sure it is flaked out to catch the air, and that the slider doesn't protrude out in front of the nose.

So basically give it a try and i hope you'll be as impressed as i am with the packing method. Makes it a hell of a lot easier to get the canopy in the bag as well which is a bonus.

[pa2themd 0]

HIya,

Can you explani what you mean by psyco pack?? Is that flat packing?

"Most of us can read the writing on the wall; we just assume it's
addressed to someone else!" Ivern Ball

[FrogNog 1]

Quote

Quote

Tip: don't wrap the tail like 10 times so it grabs the nose in there too, lay the cocoon down, wolmari-fold the sides on top, then roll it up like a right-side-up psychopack. Hoowhee, that was an interesting opening.

You can very easily wrap a tail ten plus times. First off, you pull the tail around so that the entire centre cell is around. You can achieve this safely by using your legs and knees to control the pack job so that you do not disturb the lines or folds. Second, the folds are best when they are very tight, ~1 inch, folded onto it’s self and are done away from the front of the canopy. Also, since the nose is placed deep into the pack job, the tail (when being folded) should be nowhere near the nose. Even when rolling the nose, placing the rolls deep into the pack (not into the center cell) is fine and will result in a softer opening.

I have never had the tail get rolled into the nose, I’ve seen it done and solved many a skydivers spiny opening by observing their pack job.

This is also one of those many aspects of the sport that is almost impossible to describe with out showing how it’s done. So if you’re not comfortable with it find a method that works for you that you know is safe.

All I know is 16,000 + pack jobs can’t be wrong (zero mals).

Sean

Right, I didn't say it couldn't be done, I said not to do it.

I wrapped the nose up into the tail by not pushing the nose in, and not holding the tail out away from the nose. As a result I experienced that lovely feeling of my collapsible pilot chute collapsing as the canopy comes out of the bag, then nothing happening for uncomfortably long as the rolled-up wad tries to unfurl and get some air.

After it finally got some air, the rest of the opening tried to make up for the lost time.

So we are in agreement that if you wrap the tail like 10 times, don't grab the nose while doing it.

-=-=-=-=-
Pull.

[piisfish 135]

www.icaruscanopies.com owners manual...
you'll find the psycho packing around page 17... But I wouldn't recommend it... We can talk about my reasons later...

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[pa2themd 0]

Thanks mon amour!!

PM me xx

"Most of us can read the writing on the wall; we just assume it's
addressed to someone else!" Ivern Ball

[adamsr 0]

No it isn't flat packing. The psycho pack is a normal pro-pack up until you lay the bundle on the floor. Here is a quick description, and pictures of the stages can be found here:
http://www.icaruscanopies.com/canopies/Safire/packing.htm

Before you put the canopy down you put a 180 degree twist in the lines, and lay the canopy down so the nose is pointing upwards.

there is a step here where you fold the tail of the canopy so the bundle looks like a triangle, but is hard to explain in words so look at the pictures.

then you fold the canopy into thirds length ways, then roll the sausage.

then put the bag on the canopy upside down and finally take out the 180 degree twist, then stow the lines as normal.

I do reccomend getting someone to show you this method before you go out and do it yourself, or at the very least practice a few times before jumping it, but in my experience i've found it to give great openings every time, and really tamed my hornet!